In a field experiment conducted in 2009-2011 on light soil barley, oat, wheat and triticale were grown in 3and 4-species mixtures and in pure stands. The aim of the study was to assess competition between species in mixtures and to determine yield advantage of mixtures over their components grown in pure stands. Competitive hierarchy observed at full maturity of cereals in 4-species mixture clearly reflected hierarchies seen in 3-species mixtures, with triticale showing the highest competitive ability followed by wheat then oat and finally barley. Five weeks after plant emergence all mixtures were more productive than pure stands (LER>1) while no biomass or grain yield advantage of mixtures over pure stands was found at full maturity of cereals.

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